"
Okay. As much as I HATE to use the bathroom on airplanes, on this particular flight it just simply couldn’t be helped. The water bottle that I’d drank on the way to the airport, combined with the several essential cups of morning coffee mandated the mid-flight excursion. So at about 30,000 feet up – somewhere over rural Alabama – I unbuckled and walked the narrow, balance-beam aisle to the rear of the aircraft.
After tapping a chatty, aisle-strewn gentleman to squeeze by, I stepped into the shoebox lavatory. Upon closing the folding door my eyes adjusted to the incandescent lighting, and I began to prepare for my nature call. Then it happened.
A tiny “Pop!”
And the button on the top of my jeans flew off.
Oh no!
I gasped… as a panicked tizzy of self-talk began.
This can’t happen now! I need these jeans to hold me in. My abs have all but forgotten how to take care of that function themself! If I can’t get this button back on, it is going to look like I have a hernia the size of California under my blousy shirt! I’m going to die of embarrassment if my pants fall down on my way back to my seat! This is a serious FASHION EMERGENCY!
So, what does a good Christian girl do when in a “situation” such as this?
She prays.
Oh Lord of all things fashionable and cute. God of zippers, accessories, shoes and buttons … hear my prayer! Please meet me in this fashion emergency. When I’m done with my business here, please – please – please allow the top of this button, that was on my rockin’ cool jeans, to click right back on to the base of the button. (Pause.) I trust You. I know that You are able! Amen.
Flush.
My heart raced and blood rushed through my veins in eager anticipation of a potential fashion miracle as I rose to my feet. I believed. I hoped. I prayed. The embellished silver button-top danced on my fingertips as I hesitated and hovered over the base.
Snap!
Oh Lord, Jesus! I just heard it snap! It snapped!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
And the seconds that followed were a blurred happy dance in a 24-inch by 24-inch cubicle. He heard me!! God cares about fashion!! He cares about buttons!! Thank you, Jesus!
As I exited the lavatory, the clouds parted … and I beheld angels singing a glorious song of praise to our amazing, fashion-loving God. The End. (Smiles.)
All right, all right. I admit that this account of my mid-flight fashion dilemma may be a smidgeon drama-heavy. Even so, we all face “situations” day in and day out – at home, at the office, in relationships, in health, and in conversations – where we have an opportunity to call on God.
In this case for me it was a small thing. In the grand scale of life, it was an unimportant thing … but I still talked to God about it. God welcomes us to approach Him with everything. Big and small.
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
Nothing is to small for you to take to God in prayer.
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
God loves you and desires that you be in constant dialog with Him. Constantly dependent on His strength. Constantly requesting His wisdom, joy, peace, and intervention.
Brother Lawrence, a seventeenth century monk and author of “The Practice of the Presence of God,” wrote: “There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful, than that of a continual conversation with God. Those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it.”
Friend, don’t limit your prayers to just heavy-hearted line items. Do life with Him!
Yes– we need to approach God with reverence, with an acute awareness that He is God. He is holy, just and righteous. Always. But the beauty of a grace-life is that we can approach God at any time for any reason. Even with our frivolous fashion emergencies.
We can trust that God listens and cares.
“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:13-16).
Dear God,
Thank you for grace! Thank you for inviting me to come to you any time for any reason. Please make prayer my initial heart-response to the circumstances and challenges, as well as to the beauty-moments and joys that I experience today and every day.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen
FOR YOUR REFLECTION and RESPONSE
Do you really believe that God cares about the details of your life? Tell me where you are with this.
Read and speak aloud these verses from Psalm 103: “Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. … For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:1-5, 11-12)
Can’t wait to hear from you in the comments! Encourage one another. Pray with each other. Be the body. Be the beauty!
Love, love, LOVE you!
GWEN
Time to check this off your bucket list!
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be baptized in the waters of the Jordan River, just like Jesus was? (Matt 3) Have you read the Bible and imagined what it would be like to gaze out over Shepherds Field where the Star of David appeared and visit the cave revered as Jesus’ birthplace (Matt. 1:18‐25). Join the Girlfriends in God ministry team as we visit the Church of the Nativity, built above the cave and considered the world’s oldest functioning church… and so much more!
with Girlfriends In God
March 14-22, 2019
Contact EO Tours
http://www.eo.travel/gigs
800‐247‐0017
Comments 37
I didn’t use to think God cares about my small issues, really didn’t. At least not enough to hear my “Lord can ya please help me out here” Until I started doing the PsalmAdventure studies with you Gwen. You have No idea the Impact you have made on my life and my real life it Has jesus 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻💯 God ABSOLUTELY cares about all of our issues Big and small….Let me tell you what happened 1 week ago while I was working. I am Lyft Driver and I got Trip to pickup guy who lived in my neighborhood. After accepting the Trip request (Don’t ask me why I didn’t think about it before idk) After waiting for him to get in my car, I notice my Gas level is at 1/4 & Lo & Behold, He was going to Easton, MD basically 1 hour outside of Ocean City, MD and here I was filled with Oanick and anxiety on the inside ( ya’ll I freaked out) Inside. I was hot mess with worry not remembering Just Go to GOd in prayer Belinda!! Closer we got to his destination, I was hawk eyeing the ⛽️ gauge. I was beginning to have mild panick attack while we driving almost at Bay bridge. The bay bridge is 4 miles long. BAM 💥 TRAFFIC IS DEAD STOPPED ON RT 50. Are you kidding me??? Finally after sitting almost Still begin moving and sweat began pouring down my face, I began to Pray and Pray HARD!!! We finally get to his drop off point and Thankfully there was shell gas station right next door to his Droppff spot. I then realized my daughter had my bank card from the night before and I only had my Nee Credit card that I only use for emergencies. I was pretty sure this fit the bill so I swipe and DECLINE???!!!!! What???? Swipe again DECLINE!! I literally didn’t know why it wouldn’t work. Found out that specific gas pump card reader was broken. Every other pump was taken. I just Stopped, looked up and Began cry. I was hot mess, here I am 2 hrs from home, no gas and no idea what to do…..then I just prayed and it was genuine lemme tell ya. I heard voice that said “ask the woman next to you for help” NO LIE LADIES, It was God for sure!!! Very hesitant about it, I still obeyed and tapped on her window. She could see I was hot mess (not my finest moment) I explained what happened and she knew my name?? How?? I didn’t tell her. I also asked her her name & address so I could send her the $ back and she refused and said “sweetie God wanted me to help you so this is His Blessing, Him showing you grace where you stand because he knew you would need gas before you even woke up this morning” She said “I asked God this morning who he wanted me to help and it is you Belinda” I said “I just need $10 and that will give me enough to get me back home “ she was like “are you sure that’s enough? I want you be comfortable and not stressed driving” She went in and out $10 on my pump. She cane back out and hand me $5 cash and said please take this in case u wanna our more in or get drink or snack. I hugged her so tight and we both Praised God together right there at the pump!!!! God DOES CARE about Me being at gas pump with no payment method of pumping gas 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
Hi, l just read your too cute story about losing your button in the airplane bathroom 😄l can so identity,as this past October lnwas diagnosed with cancer,and chemo caused me to lose all my hair😱it was originally red. Well the good news is the hair is coming back,since l stopped chemotherapy in February, however it’s coming in blonde and curly? I first thought,” okay maybe the red will come in as it grows” No,it’s blonde! I’ve never been a blonde,so l had to rethink make-up. Now the challenge is,as it grows,on occasion l look like a baby duck. So every day I ask Holy Spirit to help me. I especially need the help if l have a doctor’s appointment or an event to go to. The fact is,He is a great help🙌. So I would totally agree that taking every request to God for every need no matter how big of small,is a great plan!!
Hi Donna, I just read your story and Then wanted to see how you were doing and how the hair is growing in? God absolutely cares about all things that matter to us 🙌🏻
Gwen thank you for this email. It could not have come at a better time. I hope God really does care about me and will listen to my prayer. I applied for a job and I forgot to list a position I had recently because it caused me so much pain. I am praying that this agency will forgive this situation and still give me the position. I should have mentioned it but I forgot about it. I pray God is merciful towards me and that I will get the position. It seems that lately God is not listening to my prayers and I have been very frustrated. I am doubting my faith and that is hard for me because I have been a Christian for 40 years. Please pray for me.
I love this. I was just praying for something the other day that was so trivial that I thought I shouldn’t bother with it. This is just a wonderful reminder that no prayer is too small and that He wants us to come to him with every little thing.
It was the end of a busy day. I had two little children in the car (in car seats) and the last thing that I wanted to do was drag them into the store to pick up one last item from a tiny gift store. I prayed for a parking spot right in front of the big window, then I laughed. ‘God is too busy for my frivolous request’, I thought. Sure enough, there was a parking spot right in front where it is almost impossible to get a spot on Main St.
For the next two years, God blessed me with a parking spot. It did not matter if I was in a big city, mall parking, or small town, I always got prime parking! It was God’s way of reminding me that nothing is too big or too small for him.
Gwen,
I have really enjoyed these devotions. I just started about a week ago. It seems like everyday has fit right into what is going on in my life. Please pray for us. Thank you all for these devotions.
Such a beautiful reminder of Gods love for us! A few days ago I prayed about something so small/silly and I’ve been pondering about whether I should have prayed for something like this. To my surprise…God heard my prayer and worked a small miracle in my life. I really connected with this message. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi! It’s amazing the words you spoke in this devotional. We JUST had an anointing service over my dear friend last night. She was given a month to live last week after battling cancer in & off for 5 years. It was a beautiful service! We are trying to believe in faith that God is going to heal her HERE! That is our human desires. But she’s so sick & my heart is thinking He’s just going to heal her in heaven & it did my heart. She’s 55. Married with 3 children. Oldest son is married, second son is 19 & will be home from basic training this Sunday & the youngest is a girl & is almost 16. To heartbreaking if they lose their mom & wife. Can’t imagine! Please pray with us that God’s plan would be to heal her here.. But we do know His plan is best. Thank you so much! LOVE Girlfriends In God! ❤️❤️
I needed This today. I do Believe that God cares but I will Have to admit, I am in a place of needing God more than ever and I feel that he is further away from me than ever. I don’t feel his presence, his joy, peace or strength! I have prayed for little things and nothing changes. So, I rejoice with you that God did it for you but don’t believe he will for me. I know He can but just don’t understand why it’s not happening for me. Please pray with me, I just Need something REAL to hold on to. God bless you
Hi Tesa,
I just read your story and Felt compelled to Reach our to you. I want you to know how AWESOME GOD IS. He Is there with you, and To kinda shed some light on why you maybe feel he isn’t answering your prayer request is because He may just be Working on you, In you and He is preparing something Amazing for you. He could be teaching you patience? I don’t know but what’s i do Know for fact is that God LOVES YOU SO MUCH!! He is there with you, just BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD! he is Ever present, Try reading some scripture that relates to your emotions right now and Just have some quiet time with Him. He wants u to go to Him with ALL things, Just Go to Him and tell him exactly how you feel. He loves you and wants us to Be so near to him. Hope this helps you because about 6 months ago I felt exactly how you felt. I was stuck at home with no car, no way to go anywhere. I was in depression and Felt like life was happening all around me and yet I was Stuck at home. God was actually teaching me how to be patient and Also wanted me to seek Him in my own! I learned through Gwen’s obs that The more we read Gods Word and Go to Him in prayer, Grow closer to a Him With all things. I will pray for you and your relationship to Blossom and your faith and trust in God to grow more each day. God bless you
I do believe, but feeling stuck and not able to pray over my situations. I can pray for others, but not myself. Self talk has discouraged me. Great message today!
Hi Lori,
Self-talk often gets in the way. I am not a writer but I do find that when the negative self-talk is overwhelming that it helps to write down your prayers. It keeps the thoughts from spinning in circles and lets you revisit them when focusing on yourself becomes difficult.
I needed this today, to get through work demands but also to keep on praying, not for myself, but for my orphans and widows in Uganda, for the boarding school that still needs a copy machine and a clinic to be built, and chairs for the dining hall/worship center, more than fashion but life & death issues. may God hear and answer my prayer for them.
Yes I do believe God cares about every detail. And I still try to accomplish everything little thing on my own. That’s when I notice things in my life feel like they are spinning out of control. I can’t seem to get any task complete and I feel like I am failing others around me . But God!! That’s when he gently reminds I am here, I am your ever presence help, I grant you new mercies every morning. Just like now I am stumbling around in my mind how i am going to accomplish all the things I need to do today and bamm my devotional that I read this morning is that gentle reminder that he the Lord in Heaven is here to help all I have to do is ask! So I am humbled once again at his mercy, Grace and love that he cares for the crazy details of my to do list today! Thank You Lord ! You are the Best and I love you !
I love that God even cares about the beauty things. ! I’ve been a hairstylist for 42 years and listened to requests of hundreds ,if not thousands by now, I’ve prayed over the colors or haircuts that my clients desire. Sometimes the things requested seem a bit scary or even above what I feel I am not capable of doing. But each and everytime He comes through and helps me . They always love it! Yes…….God creator of our universe even cares about our hair so much .Of course , He’s already counted those hairs on our heads.
Recently my oldest granddaughter graduated from high school. Due to inclement weather, the ceremony was moved indoors. This unfortunately required tickets and there were only 3 to spread over 7 excited family members. My granddaughter was able to get 3 more and thought she had fulfilled the task. We were short one ticket! I prayed to God that there would be someone at the door with an extra ticket! He delivered! This kind lady over heard us and handed me a ticket! I looked at her and said, “thank you so much! You are answered prayer!” She stopped and made eye contact and smiled. God listens and He is good!
Yes, I believe that good cares about every detail of my life. However, I often get distracted by life and forget to give it all to Him and give Him room to move or do anything. Learning to trust Him with every nook and cranny…
I believe God cares about everything we care about! I am a cat lover! We currently have four. We moved to Florida a year-and-a-half ago at which time we had three cats. I love all my fur babies but Foxx is my special boy. He fell asleep every night with his head on my shoulder. His purring in my ear lulled me to sleep. I love that cat so much. The night we moved here he got out the back door and to date he has not returned. My heart is broken! I’ve cried, I’ve pleaded, I’ve begged for God to bring him back to us. I still pray every day for God to bring him back to his family. I know God hears me and every day I look for Foxx to return. God cares because I care! I know that and I believe, if Foxx is still on this earth, that God will bring him back to us!
I know I am a little behind in leaving a comment, but… I love seeing how God shows up in my every day life. Just recently I was working on a craft project and needed some steel wool. I remember where it was before I moved it to a spot that would be easier to remember where it was…or at least I thought it would be. I had searched for about an hour when I told God I had no clue where I had put it and could He PLEASE tell me where it was. Of course I had to quit my searching and be quiet to hear His gentle urging. What a joy I felt when I looked where He told me and found it. Our God cares about EVERY aspect of our lives, even silly little craft projects!
Yes, I really believe that God cares about every details in my life. Thanks for His Grace. Amen.
Absolutely I believe that all things that concern me, great and small concern Him. I believe that God delights in hearing and answering our prayers so He can show Himself strong on our behalf. He’s a goog, good Father, indeed!
I do believe that He does care about every aspect of my life and have been in several embarrassing predicaments where I prayed, Oh God! Please get me out of this!
I have been battling a deeply rooted insecurity lately. After reading this, I realized that my initial reaction is to contact a friend instead of contacting God to see if I’m correct about many things.
Your “fashion emergency” prayer resonated with me.
I’m a hairstylist. With that occupation comes a multitude of appearance issues. To be perfectly quaffed at all times is a key piece of the job. That feeds into my insecurities. My first husband was a sex addict. Porn, prostitutes, strippers and numerous affairs was the forefront of my life for over 25 years. Feeding those deeply rooted insecurities.
Thank you for being real. Thank you for reiterating that no request is to small for God. That He needs to be first on the emergency call list. No matter how small the emergency.
Just the other night, God helped me find the necklace and earrings I “needed” to go to a Gospel Singing. He has proven Himself time and again: bringing a puppy home to my daddy, helping me find a lost set of keys; the examples could go on and on. Nothing is too big or too small for My God to think important and act for me.
I speak to and thank God every time I go through a difficult intersection or make a difficult left turn in traffic since I had an accident doing so a few years ago. I try to thank Him every time I arrive safely. I’ve also been known to ask, Lord let me get through this green light! So many little things every day. I believe we need to train ourselves to turn to God first then it becomes our nature to do so. Mentioning these little moments can be our moments to bring grace to others so they can learn to have their own moments.
I was just praying in my daughter’s school parking lot this morning, that her fleece would show up. It’s part of her uniform and the second one we’ve owned in two years. Still believing that God will deliver. It has her name written everywhere possible and has been gone for months but has yet to appear in the lost and found. I totally get this. We pray for the big things but the little things are also His concern. 🙂 Thanks for this. Hopefully this is one of our answered prayers.
Author
Hey Jenni!
Great to hear from you. 🙂 Praying with you right now!!
Hugs,
GWEN
I talk and pray and depend on him in everything I do. My husband got approved for his visa. I know it was my father in heaven that made the way for this too happen. His imagration lawyer is upset fue to he has people still waiting after 2 yrs to come to states . God brought my congressman in to help us due to my health . I thank him everyday for him being approved and now am waiting for the approval letter to come to me in the mail and it will tell me what need to do to get him here.
I too depend and talk to God concerning everything! This past Mothers Day, I was attending a mother/daughter banquet at church with my mother in law. She lives 45 minutes from our home, so I packed up to stay the night. Once I got to her home, I started to get dressed for the banquet, and had a “oh no” moment! I had left my dress clothes hanging in my bedroom doorway, 45 minutes away. My mother in laws’ face dropped, so thinking quickly, I told her I would be right back. Walmart is 5 minutes away, and on my travel there, I prayed and asked our Precious Jesus to help me find something quick. I was in and out of that busy Walmart within 10 minutes, wearing a nice outfit to church that I received lots of compliments on! We serve an awesome God and He does care about every detail in our lives.
Gwen,
This was a great devotion. I have always taught my daughter that God is interested in every detail of our lives and we can pray for those details that concern us.
Just the other day, in front of my grandson, I prayed that God would help us open the front door to his house with a duplicate key that usually does not work. God heard our prayer and this was a good life lesson to Nathan that God hears our prayers, even if they seem trivial. Every detail….He is interested in every detail. Praise His mighty name!!!
I do believe that God cares about everything about us, but I don’t necessarily think He fixed the snap on your jeans. I believe that when we are praying God’s will – our prayers will always be answered. Maybe our fashion is His concern.
I have a chronically ill child. My circles run deep with people who have very sick kids that can’t make it through it school, who watch their children go through multiple huge surgeries, and who sometimes bury their babies. I’m not a fan of exclamations giving God credit for fixing problems that let’s face it – aren’t really problems. These kinds of statements can make some moms I know think, “wow – He cared enough about her to make sure her luggage wasn’t lost on her vacation, yet my child continues to suffer.”
Yet in many situations, I don’t believe that happenings are coincidences – if you know what I mean. I do believe that God uses smaller “events” to impact something greater.
Author
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for sharing your heart. My snap story was surely not meant to make light of anyone’s pain, but simply to celebrate God’s willingness to hear us in all things. At times my illustrations are frivolous and fun, but never purposed to frustrate. Just want to help women know and trust God more. I’m sorry for the illness of your child and for the struggles (and very searing pains) that your mama heart endures as a result. I have several loved ones who battle chronic illnesses as well, and while I don’t know the challenges like you do, I understand that they are heavy and complex. I am stopping to pray for you and your family right now.
Warmly in the grace and strength of Jesus,
Gwen
Thank you Gwen for taking each day and giving us part of it. I do feel I have a friend walking with me daily , listening to all my troubles. They are gradually coming together, instead of a job of choice I’m signing up for classes am I scared, Yes! Part of me is excited. It’s the journey I’ve prayed about. This God girl needs something more going on. My other delima is a relationship that I have given fully to God, even that has begin to flourish just as friends, maybe that is all it needs to be. God is directing me…I can truly say by your emails have helped me get a better understanding where God needs me to be.. Thank you with all my heart <3
Hi Gwen
Thanks for this. About 2 weeks ago I was bringing my group of toddlers on a picnic and on the way back my lunch bag fell out. Well as well as asking my own kids to go look for it, I prayed that it would show up. Well it didn’t show up until 10 days later! I just figured that someone else found it and enjoyed the food that I hadnt finished. So I thanked God for the time with my little ones and the food we shared and got on with things. I was shocked and surprised when my son called me the other day to tell me that my neighbour brought the missing lunch bag. She had put it on display at the corner of her yard for the week, hoping someone would claim it. But I hadn’t walked in that direction since. It was a great reminder that God hears us and answers us in his timing and his way.
Anyway just thought I would share. Have a super day!
Hi Gwen,
Your post was humorous as well as “I know those oh no moments!”. That’s the first thing I do. Turn and talk to God!! Thank you for sharing your personal moments.
Janice
Thank You Gwen for you uplifting sweet encouragement to keep praying! God is listening & He will answer! Press on in prayer! We have our small Mom/Pop business for sale, approaching two years! 13 years & very greatful for this opportunity but approaching 65 & we would so love to retire. Pressing on in continued prayer!